Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion
Archive - Pass The Parcel
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PtP - The Lounging Lovelies (7)

2. Team Captain - reserve a couple of posts in this thread tracking your team's book selection and completion. (Alternatively they could convert a chat comment to the tracking post/s.)
3. Name your team. Using this round's theme of Couch Surfing, come up with a fun name. Given we are an open/public group with no age limit, so please make sure any chosen name is smart, not smutty ;)
Please PM your name to Jane(PS) by 5 March.
4. If you have a private profile, please 'friend' your team-mates. This is really important, because without this, your team-mates can't see your shelves to select a books under option 2. (It will also help with one of the categories in this round!)
5. Please post your book selections/completions in the format provided below. (This format is also posted in both the Q&A and Sign-Up threads.) We need to know the week that each book corresponds to, the page numbers, and how the book qualifies including links to lists/shelves (where applicable), etc. I can't stress this enough. When in doubt - link it*!
* don't link to your review in your completion post - reviews in your completion posts should be included in full in that post.
You don't want to start reading a book and then find it doesn't meet the requirements because some information (eg page count or theme link) was missing from your original post.
I will be monitoring this and your book will not be considered complete until I am satisfied that your selection and completion posts comply with the format rules of the challenge.
Remember - you can ONLY change your book selection in the week that the theme is called.
6. You MUST check in with your team each week, ideally once the theme is announced. Please let your team know if you expect to have spotty communication or are on holidays or having an operation, etc.
7. When you post the completion of your book, you must post a review; enough for us to know you have actually read the book. Please don't link to a review. You must post the review in this thread.
8. Re-reads are allowed but you can't read the same book twice within this challenge.
9. There is no prize for the winning team - bragging rights only :)
10. Each week, the theme will be announced in the Q&A/Announcement thread. The full list of themes announced during this round will be maintained in msg 1 of that thread.
The Rule on the Pass Option
* Each team can only have ONE member using their pass each week.
* Each member can only use that pass once each 5 weeks.
* This means that one or two team members (dependent upon the size of your team) will miss using a pass in each 5 week block.
* No-one can use the pass option in the last week of the challenge.
* In the final week Option 2 has altered and I will be allocating each team another team from which their book selection must be chosen :)

For the initial selection post Option 1 I need:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Page numbers
How the book qualifies - please insert a link to the qualifying bookshelf/list.
If the theme is based off the bookcover or a letter in the title etc, please just repeat the theme.
For the initial selection post Option 2 I need:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Page numbers
Name of the team-member, their star rating, the date they read the book.
For the completion post I need:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Rating (1-5)
Review
Please DO NOT CHAT in these selction/completion posts. It needs to be super clear.
If you 'waffle' about your decided book - please REPOST your selection once you decide. DO NOT go back and edit your waffling post.

A summary chart will be posted in the last week to let teams know their progress against other teams :)

1. Couchsurfing is a global app that connects travellers with couches in new locations
* Read a book with furniture on the cover.
* Read a book you bought on sale, at no charge, or you accessed for free (Kindle Unlimited counts).
* Read a book with a 'dirty' colour on the cover - eg black, brown, tan.
* From this round's players, find another member whose books interest you - select a book (any book, does not have to be one that they have read) to read from their bookshelves and become friends. Select your book from a player who is not already a friend.
You may friend each other and use each other's bookshelves - but it must be a new connection since the beginning of this round. A player in your team that you friended at the beginning of the challenge counts.
You must link to the bookshelf of your new friend to show their book that you have selected.
* Read a book where at least one MC travels to a new location (on holiday, for work, relocate - whatever).
Qualification may be found in precis, main page, tag/shelf or list.
6. Couchsurfing is a global community of 12-14 million people in more than 200,000 cities who share their life, their world, their journey. There are 550,000 events across the world to meet up with members.
* That's a lot of numbers! Read a book with at least three zeros in its page numbers, average rating, total ratings and publication date combined.
This may alter during the week that you read the book (in the case of ratings), so please take a screenshot or have it verified by your Captain, another team member or me - whoever is available. You may use any edition of the book, but please make sure the link goes through to the correct edition that is to be verified.
7. The concept was created when Casey Fenton found a cheap flight to Iceland but didn't have anywhere to stay. Being an enterprising fellow, instead of settling for a pricey hotel Fenton hacked into the University of Iceland’s student database and e-mailed 1,500 students asking for a place to stay. Almost 100 people replied.
* Read a book on one of the following lists (sadly, the hacker lists aren't long enough ;):
Gay Romance with Bookish, Nerdy, Geeky Characters
I love your quirks - Best Romance Heroines that are odd in a good way
Romance novels with STEM heroines
Nerdgasms
Jazzy Creature Feature - Nerds, Geeks, Geniuses, Hackers, Klutzes
8. The app was created by Casey Fenton, Daniel Hoffer, Sebastian Le Tuan and Leonardo Bassani da Silveira - encouraging a mingling of cultures.
* Read a book with interracial/interspecies MCs.
Qualification may be found in precis, main page, tag/shelf or list.
* Read a book set on your continent.
Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand can combine to allow a greater book selection.
Please state your region in your post.
* Read a book tagged 'adventure'.
Qualification may be found in precis, main page, tag/shelf or list.
* Read a book that is not currently on your bookshelves.
The DATE that you add the book to your bookshelf must be in the week that this task is announced. State the date you added the book to your shelves.
* Read a book set in a beach town or on the coast.
Cities that sit on the ocean will count.
Qualification may be found in precis, main page, tag/shelf or list.
13. Surf your own shelves.
* On your preferred TBR shelf, look at the beige bar at the bottom of the page - on the sort function, click on 'random' and then read one of the first 3 books that now appear at the top of your shelf.
Click on the drop-down Browse menu (next to My Books in the top GR banner), click on Explore, click on Romance under the Genres listing on the far right, click on your preferred type of romance (keep refining as wished using the Genre lists).
* Read any of the books that appear on that actual page without clicking further on the lists, OR read a book by one of the authors that appear on that page. If you select the author option, you many read any book by that author.
* Read a book with the letters W I T S in the title, series and/or author's name (any combination)

Week 11
Option 1
13. Surf your own shelves.
* On your preferred TBR shelf, look at the beige bar at the bottom of the page - on the sort function, click on 'random' and then read one of the first 3 books that now appear at the top of your shelf.
You may use any of your TBR shelves so long as there are at least 15 books on that shelf. If the page count for any of the three books does not qualify for the challenge (that is, is less than 100 pages), you may select the next book that has appeared randomly on the list. You must use a list that does not contain books that you have already read IF you do not want to read them again. You cannot substitute for the next book on the list, as allowed with the page count. If 3 books are at the top of your list that you have already read, you must select one of them.
Please note again - there must be at least 15 books on your TBR shelf.
Option 2
13 November 2020
If you use this option, this week you must select your book from the team shelves immediately below your team in this list. The last team picks from the first team.
10 Couch Potatoes
7 The Lounging Lovelies
3 Couch Cruisers
8 Relax, Ride and Read
5 Have Books, Will Travel
4 My Couch or Yours
2 Surfing the Stacks
6 Our Couch Pulls Out, But We Don't
11 CouchSurfers Wipeout
1 Bargain Basement Backpackers
9 Six Slouching Surfers
Eg. Team 10 picks from team 7's members bookshelves. Team 9 picks from team 10's members bookshelves.
DO NOT PICK from a team member who has left the team during the game. Picks must come from current members.
Option 3
Pass
This can only be used once each 5 weeks. Only one team mate can use this option each week

Week 1
Amanda Selection Post Msg. 39 // Completion Post Msg. 42
AnnMarie Selection Post Msg. 44 // Completion Post Msg. 50
Janeylou Selection Post Msg. 43 // Completion Post Msg. 46
Krissy Selection Post Msg. 40 // Completion Post Msg. 49
Maggie Selection Post Msg. 41 // Completion Post Msg. 53
Jane Selection Post Msg. 47 // Completion Post Msg. 94
Week 2
Amanda Selection Post Msg. 67 // Completion Post Msg. 74
AnnMarie Selection Post Msg. 64 // Completion Post Msg. 75
Janeylou Selection Post Msg. 60 // Completion Post Msg. 72
Krissy Selection Post Msg. 63 // Completion Post Msg. 71
Maggie Selection Post Msg. 69 // Completion Post Msg. 77
Jane Selection Post Msg. 64 // Completion Post Msg. 76
Week 3
Amanda Selection Post Msg. 83 // Completion Post Msg. 97
AnnMarie Selection Post Msg. 100 // Completion Post Msg. 101
Janeylou Selection Post Msg 80 // Completion Post Msg. 96
Krissy Selection Post Msg. 91 // Completion Post Msg. 107
Maggie Selection Post Msg. 81 // Completion Post Msg. 102
Jane Selection Post Msg. 95 // Completion Post Msg. 103
Week 4
Amanda Selection Post Msg. 111 // Completion Post Msg. 114
AnnMarie Selection Post Msg. 109 // Completion Post Msg. 112
Janeylou Selection Post Msg. 113 // Completion Post Msg. 120
Krissy Selection Post Msg. 110 // Completion Post Msg. 132
Maggie Selection Post Msg. 108 // Completion Post Msg. 116
Jane Selection Post Msg. 115 // Completion Post Msg. 117

Week 5
Amanda Selection Post Msg. 124 // Completion Post Msg. 130
AnnMarie Selection Post Msg. 131 // Completion Post Msg. 134
Janeylou Selection Post Msg. 121 // Completion Post Msg. 135
Krissy Selection Post Msg. 128 // Completion Post Msg. 134
Maggie Selection Post Msg. 126 // Completion Post Msg. 145
Jane Selection Post Msg. 123 // Completion Post Msg. 129
Week 6
Amanda Selection Post Msg. 148 // Completion Post Msg. 157
AnnMarie Selection Post Msg. 141 // Completion Post Msg. 154
Janeylou Selection Post Msg. 150 // Completion Post Msg. 160
Krissy Selection Post Msg. 144 // Completion Post Msg. 158
Maggie Selection Post Msg. 153 // Completion Post Msg. 159
Jane Selection Post Msg. 151 // Completion Post Msg. 156
Week 7
Amanda Selection Post Msg. 163 // Completion Post Msg. 167
AnnMarie Selection Post Msg. 168 // Completion Post Msg. 171
Janeylou Selection Post Msg. 165 // Completion Post Msg. 172
Krissy Selection Post Msg. 170 // Completion Post Msg. 184
Maggie Selection Post Msg. 166 // Completion Post Msg. 174
Jane Selection Post Msg. 169 //
Week 8
Amanda Selection Post Msg. 179 // Completion Post Msg. 201
AnnMarie Selection Post Msg. 193 // Completion Post Msg. 194
Janeylou Selection Post Msg. 182 // Completion Post Msg. 197
Krissy Selection Post Msg. 183 // Completion Post Msg. 200
Maggie Selection Post Msg. 177 // Completion Post Msg. 187
Jane Selection Post Msg. 188 // Completion Post Msg. 196

Week 9
Amanda Selection Post Msg. 205 // Completion Post Msg. 220
AnnMarie Selection Post Msg. 199 // Completion Post Msg. 231
Janeylou Selection Post Msg. 204 // Completion Post Msg. 225
Krissy Selection Post Msg. 22 // Completion Post Msg. 226
Maggie Selection Post Msg. 206 // Completion Post Msg. 223
Jane Selection Post Msg. 216 // Completion Post Msg. 224
Week 10
Amanda Selection Post Msg. 237 // Completion Post Msg. 238
AnnMarie Selection Post Msg. 232 // Completion Post Msg. 249
Janeylou Selection Post Msg. 233 // Completion Post Msg.240
Krissy Selection Post Msg. 234 // Completion Post Msg. 235
Maggie Selection Post Msg. 230 // Completion Post Msg. 245
Jane Selection Post Msg. 239 //
Week 11
Amanda Selection Post Msg. 255 // Completion Post Msg. 266
AnnMarie
Janeylou Selection Post Msg. 257 // Completion Post Msg. 261
Krissy
Maggie Selection Post Msg. 264 //
Jane

But anyway, hey all! I don't know yet if there will be familiar faces, but you've probably seen me around as I am a sucker for challenges and read more than is healthy! I'm a lawyer in Michigan and live with my husbands and soon to be TWO beagle pups. I actually might not be around when the teams are announced as I am driving down to pick up my new pup 😍. (if anyone wants to be spammed with beagle puppy pictures, I'm your girl).
This is my second time around with this challenge and second time captaining so if you have any questions please let me know!
Please suggest names as I have zero ideas and am absolute crap at coming up with them!!

Hi everyone , i recognise a few names in this team
Krissy..not been on a team with you for ages
Annmarie..looking forward to some good chats on the merits ( or not ) of mary calmes & TJK 😆😆
but for those who dont k ow me , my name is Janine from England , i work part time in a coffee shop when I'm not running around after my 4 daughters !!!!
I also do a lot of voluntary work for the local RSPCA group, fostering animals ( mainly guinea pigs ) and raising funds. Inbetween all that , i read and read and read..lol...i also like my music / birds / photography / baking.
Im really looking forward to PtP..ive got quite a few team challenges on the go at the moment so it will be nice to have a nice relaxed one for a change 🙂

Nor would I want to!
I always forget you have 4 daughters (and a grandchild now!) you must keep very busy


Janeylou wrote: "Annmarie..looking forward to some good chats on the merits ( or not ) of mary calmes & TJK 😆😆"
Ummm, all the merits!!! Very much looking forward to re-visiting Verania and his new Tor books and I swear I read that she is finally releasing the next in the Marshals series this year!!! Also it just now occurred to me that they both have Sam characters in series I adore!!! I am facepalming myself....

My hubby is also loving working from home, its a shame that i cant say the same tho , he is doing my head in not quite sure how we havent come to blows yet .although we can go and stay at the cottage from mid april , so will shuffle him off over there for a few weeks at a time 🤗🤗

I’m a “full time book reviewer” (I read ARCs and blog) I live with my work at home architect husband and our two kiddos who are mostly in person schooling with spurts of virtual learning when our town or schools hit COVID spikes.
This is my first time doing this challenge and I’m excited to see what new books I can find and read.
Outside of reading, COVID has sort of tossed my life around. We’re typically a very active and social family. It’s been difficult to not see or interact with our friends for the past year. We’re looking forward to our spring soccer (football - I know 😉) season for the boy child, some local hikes and our big goal is to take our summer vacation to the beach. We typically visit Cape Cod in Massachusetts.
I’ve been going through city withdrawals as we typically take weekend trips into NYC or Boston throughout the year. I miss The Strand bookstore in NYC the most.
I like to garden, I’m a sports fan with strong feelings for the New York Yankees, Chelsea (well, really just Pulisic) and Tottenham. I love hockey as well, but don’t really have a team.
Hmmm.... can’t think of much more than that. I love chatting about almost anything. My husband and I are working through our Netflix backlog and I’ve started watching Supernatural with our teen daughter. Our preteen son is the premiere league super fan in the house. I’m waiting for him to tell us he’s going into sports analytics as a career.
I’m a Marvel fan. Legos are another massive “thing” in our house. I’m constantly trying to talk my family into moving back to the London area where I spent a semester. 🤣🤣
I think that about covers it.
Looking forward to meeting you all over the next weeks.

Boriss Johnson has realsed dates when we can start lifting some of the restrictions so im hoping we can start getting a little bit 'back to normal'....
All i want is a coffee with my friends , thats not asking for a lot is it 🤷♀️🤷♀️

Janeylou, yes it's been a couple years since I've participated in some challenges. I used to be a SAHM (for 10 years) so I did nothing but read and do challenges. But that has cut back since I started working again.
My name is Krissy. I'm 39 years old. My husband recently retired from the army after 21 years. We've been together for 22 years so I've been with him every step of the way. We have 3 kids, 2 guinea pigs, 1 cat, and a pug named Tadpole who is my wittle baby boy ❤.
I'm a huge audiobook slut so the majority of my books are in that format. I look forward to playing again after so long.
I will leave the name to someone else because I suck at it.

I'm Jane and I'm from Denmark.
I love reading but have been in a slump last year (not covid related) - I'm back and reading tons now.
I actually loves staying at home and my husband (from England) works from home so we haven't been hid as hard with Covid restrictions as others. The 2 main losses being Christmas with all of my siblings and their families and of course not being able to go to Britain to visit my in-laws.
My main interests apart from reading are canoing and geocaching.

Janeylou, yes it's been a couple years since I've participated in some challenges. I used to be a SAHM (for 10 years) so I did nothing but read and do challenges. But that has cut ba..."
Hi Krissy, i always find work is a bit of a bugger for impinging on my reading time but it has to be done , unfortunately.
And it looks like you can chat to Amanda about dogs as she just picking one up this weekend 😄😄
Glad you ok anyway 😊

I'm Jane and I'm from Denmark.
I love reading but have been in a slump last year (not covid related) - I'm back and reading tons now.
I actually loves staying at home and my husban..."
Nice to meet you Jane , where about in England does your hubby come from

The Lounging Lovelies
Have Couch, Will Read
Will Share Books for Couch Space
I’m better at slogans, logos, and tag lines than team names. Sorry 🤷🏼♀️

The Lounging Lovelies
Have Couch, Will Read
Will Share Books for Couch Space
I’m better at slogans, logos, and tag lines than team name..."
They are goood Maggie..i really like
The lounging lovelies

I wish GR was easier to put pictures on because I totally wanna be that crazy dog person that shows off the new puppy 😂

He grew up in Warrington

He grew up in Warrington"
My daughter has a few friends who live there, shes in manchester (never moved back after she went there for uni )


I PMd Shanna a couple of days ago - if she doesn't turn up by the official start of the game (Friday) then I'll remove her and you will continue as is :)

Option 1:
4. "You have friends all over the world, you just haven't met them yet."
* From this round's players, find another member whose books interest you - select a book (any book, does not have to be one that they have read) to read from their bookshelves and become friends. Select your book from a player who is not already a friend.
This doesn't have to be from your team - it can be anyone who is playing in this round.
You may friend each other and use each other's bookshelves - but it must be a new connection since the beginning of this round - from sign up - NOT from today. A player in your team that you friended at the beginning of the challenge counts.
You must link to the bookshelf of your new friend to show their book that you have selected. If linking to a bookshelf is hard, note the date that they added the book to their shelves.
Note the date you became friends (which you can find on your friend list). I don't need to see a link or other justification - just the date.
The series rule can be applied to this task - that is, you may use the next book that you are up to in a series to the one you find on your new friend's shelf.
Option 2:
Key date - 4 September 2020
A book on your team mates 'read' list AND rated at least 3 stars and read on or after the key date.
Option 3:
Pass
This can only be used once each 5 weeks. Only one team mate can use this option each week

Week #1, Option 1

The Darkest Flame by Christina Lee
Pages: 242/GR
How it qualifies: On AnnMarie's shelf Became friends 3/1 or 3/2 (can't find where it's listed but was for this challenge)

Week #1 - Option #1

One of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus
Pages: 377/GR
How it Qualifies: Amanda's Shelf. We became friends this week.

Week #1 - Option #1

Goal Lines & First Times by Eden Finley
Pages: 294/GR
How it Qualifies: Amanda's Shelf . We became friends this week

Week #1, Option 1

The Darkest Flame by Christina Lee
Rating: 3 Stars
Review: Eh, this one was alright, but ultimately didn’t completely work for me. I didn’t really see the chemistry between the two MCs, so I definitely didn’t see how it jumped into love fairly quickly. Apparently this is a spin off so maybe it would’ve felt more believable had I read that novel first.

WEEK 1 OPTION 1
The Tin Box by Kim Fielding
210 pgs
Picked from Filipas shelf ( team 3 ) became friends yesterday (4th )
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

Option #1

Murder House by Jordan Castillo Price
272 pages
Became friends with Krissy this week, her shelf

Week #1, Option 1

The Darkest Flame by Christina Lee
Rating: 3 Stars
Review: Eh, this one was alright, but u..."
I agree, solid 3 star for me as well :)

WEEK 1 OPTION 1
The Tin Box by Kim Fielding
210 pgs
Picked from Filipas shelf ( team 3 ) became friends yesterday (4th )
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
finished 7 march
4.25 stars
Lovely book, although it was Bills story (through found letters) that really tug at my heartstrings...a little rushed at the end

Week: # 1
Option: # 1
Book:

Pages: 294
How the book qualifies: on Daniela's shelf Friends since 3/2/21

I really wish all books that were spin offs from something else put it in the blurb somewhere! It wasn't until I looked through reviews and saw the Author had posted that info in a review that I realized why it seemed incomplete

Week #1 - Option #1

One of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus
Rating: ★★★
Review: I liked this but nowhere near as much as the first book. When it started out there were so many characters thrown at you at once. Even the characters from last book that you are just supposed to remember but, damn, that was too long ago. I needed a little refresher first. What was really strange was that all the author's male characters felt so different from each other that it was no problem telling them all apart. But all the female characters blended together and I had difficulties keeping them all seperate in my mind. Amazing narration of the audiobook though. I loved that there was a different narrator for each main character.

Option #1

Murder House by Jordan Castillo Price
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review: I listened to the audio, enjoyed that as well as the story. Jacob wasn't in this one very much so it was a lot of awkward Vic which I didn't mind. If you made it to this point in the series then I am fairly certain you will like this one :)
Books mentioned in this topic
A Heart Decision (other topics)Heart of Darkness (other topics)
Once in a Snowstorm (other topics)
When Red Cried Wolf (other topics)
The Stopover (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Ofelia Gränd (other topics)Nash Summers (other topics)
T.L. Swan (other topics)
Nash Summers (other topics)
Nash Summers (other topics)
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Super-Duper Host
✔Amanda
Couch-Slouchers
✔AnnMarie
✔Janeylou (Janine)
✔Krissy
✔Maggie
✔Jane
Shanna